We hope everyone will join us at the Village Commons this week
for another delicious Pathfinder Produce market, on Thursday from 2 to 5
p.m. Our Vocational Program members are harvesting spring greens … what a
great way to celebrate during the week of Earth Day!
****
This
Wednesday, April 22, people around the globe are celebrating the 45th
anniversary of Earth Day. Just as our community 5210 goals focus on helping
people become healthier through behavior change, Earth Day reminds us that we
may change our behavior to help our planet be healthier. To learn more about
the history of the event, visit the Earth Day website.
I
have vague recollections of the first Earth Day in 1970, which was an offshoot
of the anti-war and civil rights movements. Unfortunately, then as now,
the news was full of stories on oil spills, toxic waste dumps, and choking
smog; citizens grew concerned by the damage pollutants were causing and began
to speak out. These toxins first came to light through the 1962 best
seller Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, and by the
1965 report, Contaminated and Natural Lead Environments of Man by
the unsung hero, Clair
Cameron Patterson.
Today’s
Earth Day activities center on climate change and switching to renewable
energies. While hyper-mileage cars and solar energy are not mainstream yet,
there are small steps everyone can take now to make a difference. Some
good ways to go green are offered at The Art of Simple
and 50 Ways to Help. Gardening
(sans synthetic chemicals) and eating vegetarian once a week tie right into
conserving water and helping the planet.
The
stewardship aspects of Earth Day are thematically linked with National Arbor
Day, which is on Friday, April 24. Arbor Day was first celebrated in Villanueva
de la Sierra, Spain, in 1805, as a response to Napoleon’s destructive tear
through Europe. In 1872 Arbor Day was first celebrated in America; planting
trees became a popular rite for school children in the early 20th
century as part of President Roosevelt’s national
conservation efforts. Today the Arbor Day movement has spread globally, and
has even helped transform the lives of African women through the Green Belt Movement.
Looking
ahead, May 4 through 10 is Screen Free
Week, a time during which we should work towards unplugging from the
electronic devices that are part of modern life. Organizers suggest that
people “play, read, daydream, create, explore, and connect with family and
friends” during this week, and then try to continue screen –free activities as
much as possible. The goal in reducing screen time is to encourage children to
take part in physical activity and creative play; in truth, adults need to
pursue these activities as well to stay fit and mentally alert. And,
although we can’t turn back the electronic clock, if we are more aware of our
device dependence, we may also become more attuned to how the manufacturing and
disposal of these gadgets affect our planet home.
Until
next time, be well and enjoy the outdoors,
Lori
